# New to HF beads...



## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

I bought a pound of Heartfelt Beads 65% and received them earlier this week. I took some and placed them in an old larger foam humidifier container (the ones that come with 100 ct. humidors) after removing the foam. I sprayed them down with distilled water as per what I've read, leaving about 60% of them still white. Placed them in a humidor and after a couple days checked humidity. It was running about 71%. Figured maybe I wet down to many, so I removed those beads and mixed them with some white beads from the original bag and mixed them well. I've got the humidifier back in the box and it's running 70%; I left the other half in the ziplock I mixed them in with a couple hygrometers, and those are showing 70% also. I thought it was easy to get these going and I wanted to move to 65% humidification. Not sure if I got the right beads or what. The package was marked 65, but that's sure not what I'm seeing...


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## Shemp75 (May 26, 2012)

how many cigars are in the humi?


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

About 70-75


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

Relax, do not spray them again & if necessary remove them from the humidor. HF beads ARE simple but you seem to have over saturated them or the cigars themselves are to wet. Time is your friend here, not angst.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

Did they come with any instructions?


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

Gdaddy said:


> Did they come with any instructions?


Since we are all online then we can all access the instructions online via the HF website.


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## TJB (Dec 10, 2012)

Make sure your hygrometer is accurate. I have heard people actually calibrate their hygrometers by these they are so accurate. If your hygrometer is not off then its possible your cigars are too wet and give it a couple weeks to stabilize. If its still running at 70 then I guess it's possible to have gotten the wrong rh. It's also possible your ambient rh is too high as well. I find personally its often not necesary to wet too much of the beads, just a few sprays. Some people let them run almost dry and get a baseline rh before adding water. It's real easy to over saturate the beads. Good luck!


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Tashaz said:


> Relax, do not spray them again & if necessary remove them from the humidor. HF beads ARE simple but you seem to have over saturated them or the cigars themselves are to wet. Time is your friend here, not angst.


Ditto^^^^


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

Well the humidity in the room I keep my humidors in is 55%. Temp varies during the day from 65-70 degrees F. I've never used these beads before so I figured I'd ask here first since it seems a lot of people here like and use them.

I would suppose that there is that possibility that they did get too much distilled water, but I figured if I cut the volume of beads in half and added dry I would have seen some decrease in rH. Not big deal though I'll just have to play with them and see. I may just take some and dry them in an oven on low for an hour so they'll be basically 100% dry and add that to the humi and see what happens.

I appreciate the input - thanks!


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

Well 15 minutes in the oven made a lot more white beads, and a few discolored. I just picked those out. Put the beads in the container and placed them in the humidor. I'll see how it turns out in a few days. FWIW the rest of the beads I had in the bag I just left and stuck a hygro in there. After about 45 minutes it shows about 65%.

I think a better way to dry these out would be to place them in a container with a desiccant bag and wait a few days... live and learn.


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

I don't know if HF has any actual directions up, but I know when I dry out the dessicant pack in my gun cabinet, I put the oven on 200 and let it sit in there for two hours, this generally makes it stone dry. It's the equivalent of sticking it in a dehydrator (which you could also do) for a 12 hour cycle. Having said that, I would wager that if you overwet them, an hour would even them back out. Let them cool, add a few tablespoons of water, et cetera.


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

Well I realize it's only been about 10 hours but I haven't seen a drop in my humidor, and the bag I had the rest in is running about 69%, so I don't know what else to do. I'm thinking that I must have got the 70% beads in a 65% marked bag. No matter what I've done so far has resulted in 65% readings. I sent an email to HF, guess I'll just wait to see what they have to say...


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## TJB (Dec 10, 2012)

craig61a said:


> Well I realize it's only been about 10 hours but I haven't seen a drop in my humidor, and the bag I had the rest in is running about 69%, so I don't know what else to do. I'm thinking that I must have got the 70% beads in a 65% marked bag. No matter what I've done so far has resulted in 65% readings. I sent an email to HF, guess I'll just wait to see what they have to say...
> 
> View attachment 43694


You are using an analog hygrometer. These cannot be trusted they are not accurate even when calibrated. Get yourself a nice digital hygrometer: caliber IV, xikar, hygroset and calibrate and try this again.


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

I have several analogs and several digitals (xikar, hygroset) all calibrated within the last 2 months. I had several in the bag the other day and they all read the same thing ~ 70%... And as far as the analogs go, I tend to check them every so often and they do come back right to where they should be - 75%. You'll notice in the photo the beads are almost all solid white and still giving off 70%. I don't need to go buy a lab grade hygro to figure out that the beads are obviously not what they are supposed to be rated.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

With something as mysterious and confusing as these beads are, you'd think they would come with more complete set of instructions.

FYI...the HCM beads come with full written instructions written on a piece of paper. My e-mail questions were answered by Michael within an hour.

Please keep us posted as to when they answer you're e-mail question.


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

I have that hygrometer as well. It's not very accurate. It could easily be off by 5%. It's been a while since I looked at mine but I don't think there is any adjustment on that hygrometer you have.

How big of humidor or storage do you have 1 pound of beads in?


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

craig61a said:


> Well 15 minutes in the oven made a lot more white beads, and a few discolored. I just picked those out. Put the beads in the container and placed them in the humidor. I'll see how it turns out in a few days. FWIW the rest of the beads I had in the bag I just left and stuck a hygro in there. After about 45 minutes it shows about 65%.
> 
> I think a better way to dry these out would be to place them in a container with a desiccant bag and wait a few days... live and learn.





elricfate said:


> I don't know if HF has any actual directions up, but I know when I dry out the dessicant pack in my gun cabinet, I put the oven on 200 and let it sit in there for two hours, this generally makes it stone dry. It's the equivalent of sticking it in a dehydrator (which you could also do) for a 12 hour cycle. Having said that, I would wager that if you overwet them, an hour would even them back out. Let them cool, add a few tablespoons of water, et cetera.


You guys may or may not have access to one but a hair dryer works great.


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

huskers said:


> You guys may or may not have access to one but a hair dryer works great.


So does a microwave, from what I read. Or a heat gun (though heat guns and hair dryers have the unintended effect of localization of heat which could cause some intense fracturing, and the hair dryer has forced air, blargh)


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

elricfate said:


> So does a microwave, from what I read. Or a heat gun (though heat guns and hair dryers have the unintended effect of localization of heat which could cause some intense fracturing, and the hair dryer has forced air, blargh)


Heartfelt recommends a hairdryer..........

Just stay a decent distance away and go back and forth like you would with hair.

Also, you don't have to use heat, just blowing air over them will dry them up. takes longer without heat.

Do what you want though.


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

huskers said:


> Heartfelt recommends a hairdryer..........
> 
> Just stay a decent distance away and go back and forth like you would with hair.
> 
> ...


Not arguing the point at all. I was just pointing out the inherent danger to the beads themselves. Though since they're "museum quality" RH beads, they should continue working even if fractured.


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

I have found in my experience with beads that if you use way more beads than you need, then the RH will be higher then the preset %. (lots of beads in a small container)

The more beads you have, the more RH is being let out. (surface area)

The dry beads take a while to absorb the extra RH so it may read higher than 65% until it equalizes. You can quickly spike the RH but it will take a while for it to come down.

You may try to wet just 30% of them and see how that works. I think you will find that it will regulate the RH a little more accurate.

Also, if you have 15 cigars in a 250 count humidor, its gonna throw the RH out of wack. The cigars absorb the RH and act as a buffer of sorts.

Make sense?


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

I don't understand why placing additional water into an already over humidified environment helps to bring down the RH.

The HF beads are 'pre-set' at a specific RH when they are shipped... correct? 
Why would you then open the bag and add additional water to them?


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

Gdaddy said:


> I don't understand why placing additional water into an already over humidified environment helps to bring down the RH.
> 
> The HF beads are 'pre-set' at a specific RH when they are shipped... correct?
> Why would you then open the bag and add additional water to them?


That's the RH they're calibrated to be at assuming they're not at 100% absorption, but it doesn't necessarily mean that's the RH they're at straight from the bag. If there's no moisture from them (stored for longer than normal or some such) then they won't keep a stable RH no matter what they're calibrated for.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

How are they 'calibrated' to achieve different RH levels?


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Gdaddy said:


> How are they 'calibrated' to achieve different RH levels?


Salt.....

You can't look at HF and HCM the same way as the only similarity is the ease of use.......


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

Gdaddy said:


> How are they 'calibrated' to achieve different RH levels?


Hot and cold. They're a two way RH silica bead. Regular dessicant beads are "charged" to "pull in moisture but not release" by placing them into a heated environment for an amount of time required for them to be fully dehydrated.

Heartfelt beads are just the museum quality big brother of regular dessicant beads in that they not only pull in moisture, but they also release it to maintain equilibrium. You calibrate them using heat to force their RH to be lower, or cold, to force it to be higher. (I don't know the exact science to it, this is just what I've read)


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

I realize that HCM and HF work in completely different ways. 

Are you saying that they add a little more (or less) salt to each different bead to achieve a certain RH level? Is this how they are 'calibrated' ?


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

elricfate said:


> Hot and cold. They're a two way RH silica bead. Regular dessicant beads are "charged" to "pull in moisture but not release" by placing them into a heated environment for an amount of time required for them to be fully dehydrated.
> 
> Heartfelt beads are just the museum quality big brother of regular dessicant beads in that they not only pull in moisture, but they also release it to maintain equilibrium. You calibrate them using heat to force their RH to be lower, or cold, to force it to be higher. (I don't know the exact science to it, this is just what I've read)


So if I wanted a lower RH why would you add water? If the beads are dehydrated they should readily pull out moisture...no?


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

I thought the salt was just to change the hygroscopic properties of the beads.. Hence increase / decrease the absorption rate, but in the end they are just buffers...


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Gdaddy said:


> I realize that HCM and HF work in completely different ways.
> 
> Are you saying that they add a little more (or less) salt to each different bead to achieve a certain RH level? Is this how they are 'calibrated' ?


Don
Does it really matter ?? The fact is, they work.
I would address specific questions directly to HF.....I have always received stellar CS .


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

Gdaddy said:


> So if I wanted a lower RH why would you add water? If the beads are dehydrated they should readily pull out moisture...no?


Yes, that's the working theory. I'm pretty sure he added water from the bag because all the directions say that to charge your beads you have to spray about 70% of them with distilled water. So he was probably just following directions instead of placing them in an already humid environment to absorb to their default calibrated level.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

asmartbull said:


> Don
> Does it really matter ?? The fact is, they work.
> I would address specific questions directly to HF.....I have always received stellar CS .


In the right hands with the right knowledge they work just fine. However, there are quite a few people who struggle with them especially those who are trying to go lower with the RH. It would seem a more specific instruction sheet could prevent all the confusion but for some reason HF doesn't want to do that. The science behind how they work is also very vague. How they are calibrated is an unsolved mystery. (In contrast HCM technology is very precise)

I'm just curious...like a cat...(my friends call me whiskers.)


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

Gdaddy said:


> In the right hands with the right knowledge they work just fine. However, there are quite a few people who struggle with them especially those who are trying to go lower with the RH. It would seem a more specific instruction sheet could prevent all the confusion but for some reason HF doesn't want to do that. The science behind how they work is also very vague. How they are calibrated is an unsolved mystery. (In contrast HCM technology is very precise)
> 
> I'm just curious...like a cat...(my friends call me whiskers.)


If you really want the science behind them, I can prolly hook you up.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

huskers said:


> If you really want the science behind them, I can prolly hook you up.


Thank you for the offer. I understand the science behind the 'salt' and how that works. I am curious as to how HF can offer different beads yielding different RH numbers. How can they be calibrated to a specific number?

IF the HF beads are in fact formulated differently (more or less salt?) to achieve different advertised RH then you are stuck with whatever level you select. They can NOT be 'trained' to a different level? A 65% bead will always go to 65%RH and can't be changed do to it's specific composition? A 70% bead can't go to 65% ?


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Bingo
HF beads can not be altered....65 rh will always be 65 rh unless you submerge them and wash off
all the salt...then are are NFG.....in that aspect they share the same similarities of KL


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

asmartbull said:


> Bingo
> HF beads can not be altered....65 rh will always be 65 rh unless you submerge them and wash off
> all the salt...then are are NFG.....in that aspect they share the same similarities of KL


Hygroscopy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

oke:

Let me tell all of you the reality and truth about all this mumbo jumbo... The reality is Spirits live in the beads and they feed these spirits salt and some spirits like different kinds of salts.. So when they feed them some kinds of salts the spirits consume the moisture quicker because they need some water, but when it gets dry the spirits get sick and they vomit up the water.. I pray to the holy spirit of moisture every night I spit vodka on my g/f and beat her with a chicken the relative humidity of my humidor is well protected with these types of practices... So you want the spirits to find a happy place of equalization...  Now all of this isn't commonly known in most circles but I am letting it out about the secret spirits.. If you like you can buy some of my Pelican Spirit Juice for 19.99 which will keep the spirits happy you won't have to beat anyone with a live chicken...


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

So the beads are 'calibrated' to different levels of RH by the spirits living within each bead. 

That's as good of an explanation as I've heard yet. You might be on to something with that Pelican juice. I'm sure there are some who will swear by it.


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

OK I think I got this figured out. I did some reading, specifically as to museum grade silica gel used as a passive buffer to maintain RH. Took some of the beads and put them in a Pyrex measuring cup and stuck them in the microwave for 2 minutes. Took them out and let them cool for a minute. There was a lot of moisture around the inside of the glass, and I just wiped it off. I put the beads in for 3 more cycles, and they ended up solid bright white. I put them in a bag after they cooled and stuck a hygro in with them. This morning they were reading 19%. I took some of the other beads that were up around 70% and mixed the dried beads in and put them back in the bag. After about 4 hours it was reading about 45%.

So, I was able to get them down from 70%. put a few less dried beads in with the 70% beads and stuck those back in the humidor I have been working with. That should pull the humidity level down - I'll just have to wait and see where it ends up and adjust from there.

Since I haven't heard from HF, I just started searching the internet. There's a lot of material out there on the subject, and the most useful was when I searched "museum silica gel beads".

I haven't done much with silica beads in the past, other than throw them away when they came packaged with electronics and such. So I guess I didn't realize there were different grades. Museums use these for smaller displays to moderate the rh, and they can be ordered dry or pre-conditioned to whatever rh you need. Dry can be conditioned easily enough by just placing them in a container and letting them absorb the humidity from another source and monitoring them during the process.

Now for some the comments above - Salt? If there was salt in the beads, they'd be pretty much worthless - how would the micropores absorb and desorb moisture if they were clogged with salt?

Anyways I'll provide some the links I found and others can choose to read if they are so inclined...

http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/01-08.pdf
Rhapid Pak Non-Indicating Silica Gel Control Paks | Gaylord


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

Craig, your saying that one bead can be 'conditioned' to all different RH levels. Others are saying that HF uses a different salt formula for each different RH setting and can NOT be conditioned or changed. Once a 70% bead...always a 70% bead.

HCM is the one that uses micro pores to absorb and desorb moisture and contains no salt.

Read here:

HCM Cigar Beads -- Home Page


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

Since when does Silicon Dioxide (silica gel) contain salt compounds?


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

elricfate said:


> Since when does Silicon Dioxide (silica gel) contain salt compounds?


Since manufacturers add it to the silica to change the hygroscopic properties of the silica...


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

Gdaddy is pushing those beads...  but at the same he has educated me alittle on moisture etc.. with some of these debates etc I have sought information... Finding that what he says is correct, and that the "salts" are just used to change the hygroscopic properties of the silica in order to recover faster etc.. Even with salt it is still a buffer and is totally dependent on the environmental relative humidity but am very very curious about boveda which I assume is a saturated salt solution?¿

No one read my wikipedia link which tells you why they would add salt...


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## KcJason1 (Oct 20, 2010)

Do yourself a favor and dump the HF beads in the toilet and flush them!


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

KcJason1 said:


> Do yourself a favor and dump the HF beads in the toilet and flush them!


They have a special place in my crapador...


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

_*Craig, your saying that one bead can be 'conditioned' to all different RH levels.*_

I'm not saying it - a number of online vendors are saying it. A number of sites I read offer beads conditioned to whatever rh I want to buy them at. Also, a number of papers I read tell me how to condition beads (and offer equipment) to condition beads to whatever rh I want.

According to what I have read this type of bead has been used for over 60 years in museums and in conservatory work, and the body of knowledge out there is pretty substantial. Are these 'cigar' bead vendors manufacturing their own special brand of silica beads that nobody in any other industry is breaking down their door to buy? I doubt it...

If a particular bead holds a particular rh, then why did the beads I microwaved to a desiccated state hold at 19% overnight, and not go to a higher rh?

Salt formulas? I maybe I'm wrong, but I highly doubt beads are calibrated using salt. Based on what I've read, beads are beads. This particular grade is different than the ones that come in packaging, specifically engineered to this type of application, which is maintaining the rh in a particular microclimate (i.e. humidor, museum display, etc.). I think whoever came up with salts is blowin' smoke...

In the experimenting I've done in the past few days I'm quite content that I have figured out what I need to do to get the results I want out of these beads... without salt, juice, magic, or bs.


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

OK I did just check out the check out the HCM beads sight - clay; that's interesting...


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

craig61a said:


> _*Craig, your saying that one bead can be 'conditioned' to all different RH levels.*_
> 
> I'm not saying it - a number of online vendors are saying it. A number of sites I read offer beads conditioned to whatever rh I want to buy them at. Also, a number of papers I read tell me how to condition beads (and offer equipment) to condition beads to whatever rh I want.
> 
> ...


I believe a saturated salt solution is different though because the liquid is saturated to the point where it can no longer absorb the salt... I believe boveda is something like this.. I misplaced my mass spectrometer... but environment Relative humidity is key to the buffers whether it is silica beads treated with salts to change the absorption rate or kitty litter or a loaf of bread...  We have plenty of chemists and scientists on this forum I am very surprised no one has taken a mass spectrometer and just tell us what is in the bovedas then I can create my own chinese knock off  Called Pelican Packs... Just call it PP for short...

:banana:


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

CarnivorousPelican said:


> I believe a saturated salt solution is different though because the liquid is saturated to the point where it can no longer absorb the salt... I believe boveda is something like this.. I misplaced my mass spectrometer...


I think whoever told you there are salts in the silicon dioxide is smoking something more potent than cigars.

Having said that, boveda packs, as far as I know, are a semi-permeable membrane similar to the type found in most R/O systems. I'm not 100% on the makeup of the liquid therein, but people can recharge them using regular old distilled or R/O water as long as you don't run them dry.


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

elricfate said:


> I think whoever told you there are salts in the silicon dioxide is smoking something more potent than cigars.
> 
> Having said that, boveda packs, as far as I know, are a semi-permeable membrane similar to the type found in most R/O systems. I'm not 100% on the makeup of the liquid therein, but people can recharge them using regular old distilled or R/O water as long as you don't run them dry.


Well Hartfelt says it all over their website... Are you knitt picking with me Sir treated with salts is what I mean... And the salts affect the absorption rate that is all over the net I even have a PDF on museum desiccants where they tried silica gel ( beads ) and then saturated salt solutions.. Guess which one is better?

You think boveda is just a RO membrane with water in it.. Think again I have opened a few of these and it is either a saturated salt solution or some gel w/ salt or something I don't know which is what I would like to know... I believe someone with access to a mass spectrometer should indulge us 

Regardless HF, HCM, Kitty Litter etc are buffers... Now is Boveda a buffer ? ( ¿ more efficient ? or is it more stable but less efficient in its absorption rate etc..? )

I have questions also... 



https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information_center/food_storage_faq/types_of_desiccants.htm said:


> F.3.1 SILICA GEL: The most commonly known and used desiccant is silica gel which is a form of silica dioxide (SiO2), a naturally occurring mineral. It will work from below freezing to past the boiling point of water, but performs best at room temperatures (70-90° F) and high humidity (60-90%). Its performance begins to drop off over 100° F, but will continue to work until approximately 220° F. It will lower the relative humidity in a container to around 40% at any temperature in its range until it is saturated. Silica gel will absorb up to 40% of its weight in moisture. Some forms are approved by the FDA for direct food use (check with your supplier to be sure). It recharges easily (see below in the indicating silica gel text) and does not swell in size as it adsorbs moisture.
> 
> F.3.2 INDICATING SILICA GEL: In the retail trade, the most commonly found form of silica gel is indicating silica gel which is small white crystals looking much like granulated sugar with small pink or blue colored crystals scattered throughout. This is ordinary silica gel with the colored specks being coated with cobalt chloride, a heavy metal salt. When the gel has absorbed approximately eight percent of its weight in water the colored crystals will turn from blue to pink making an easy visual indicator of whether the gel has become saturated with moisture. Because cobalt is a heavy metal, indicating silica gel is not food safe and should be kept from spilling into anything edible.
> 
> ...


If HF beads are coated in lithium chloride or something similar I dunno why anyone is using them around their cigars to be honest...


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

CarnivorousPelican said:


> Well Hartfelt says it all over their website... Are you knitt picking with me Sir treated with salts is what I mean... And the salts affect the absorption rate that is all over the net I even have a PDF on museum desiccants where they tried silica gel ( beads ) and then saturated salt solutions.. Guess which one is better?
> 
> You think boveda is just a RO membrane with water in it.. Think again I have opened a few of these and it is either a saturated salt solution or some gel w/ salt or something I don't know which is what I would like to know... I believe someone with access to a mass spectrometer should indulge us
> 
> ...


Listen, I like you, but I need to set you straight on something. The stuff you keep quoting is RD SILICON DIOXIDE, which is your standard Dessicant Silica Form (basically a porous quartz sand) that ONLY absorbs moisture and does not release it. The 40% stuff it keeps quoting? That's the kind of dessicant packs you find in your shoes, or electrostatic baggies when you buy electronics. It's also known as RD Silica Gel or Regular Density, and it's the most commonly available.

The stuff WE use as HF beads is most likely Art-Sorb. Art-Sorb is museum quality silica gel that also DESORBS moisture (not like the standard stuff) and it doesn't have salt in it however it IS coated in Lithium Chloride but since LiCl isn't dangerous PER SE, it shouldn't be something you fear sticking in with your cigars.

An Evaluation of Silica Gel for Humidity Control in Display Cases
http://talasonline.com/photos/instructions/silica_gel_FAQ.pdf
Artsorb Online - Tech Info
http://www.productosdeconservacion.com/pdf/artsorb.pdf

Having said all of that, I retract my original statement. This type of silicon dioxide can not be calibrated by us. It is calibrated at creation and nothing you do can change it. You might be able to nudge it but all you're really doing is diminishing its capacity to perform on the standard arc that it was created to perform against.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

Let me say one more thing....

SPEED

What medium will release and absorb at the fastest rate? Allowing your humidor to recover the fastest?

If there was an Indy 500 of beads the HCM would win hands down. No contest.

The real question is... who would come in last? I believe Boveda is the slowest moving in the group.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

The OP's question was about HF BEADS 
and whether he got the correct ones.....

If you want to talk/push HCM, start another thread....

Mods, please close this up


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Al is correct. Let's keep this on topic (HF beads) or it will be locked. (Which means I will then have to write a PM to the OP explaining why it was locked.)


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

edited... HF beads are good when used with something else I see it no different than kitty litter now you can say they are rolled around in magic salt ( Lithium Chloride not FDA approved), whatever you want that will always maintain a RH, but in reality the salt just has a affinity for a certain RH, but the beads are still a buffer... You can't roll silica in "salt" and then say behold my saturated salt solution... I did previously post something pretty rude because I just woke up and pelicans are rude as shit when they wake up. So I apologize and I think am in a dispute between product pushers, but am opting out of the HF debates, just because I think people have financial interests and if I have to talk to more people from Ohio I am going to leave the forum


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## craig61a (Feb 18, 2013)

You may as well lock this thread - I have resolved the issue to my satisfaction long before it got to this point.


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

craig61a said:


> You may as well lock this thread - I have resolved the issue to my satisfaction long before it got to this point.


Craig I sincerely apologize man... but this bead stuff gets out of control sometimes... Alot of strong characters with strong opinions and alot of high attitudes.. I apologize once again about this... Since I am also apart of that... I won't however apologize to the people of the great state of Ohio...


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## elricfate (Mar 2, 2013)

CarnivorousPelican said:


> Craig I sincerely apologize man... but this bead stuff gets out of control sometimes... Alot of strong characters with strong opinions and alot of high attitudes.. I apologize once again about this... Since I am also apart of that... I won't however apologize to the people of the great state of Ohio...


Same. I'm not a chemist or anything close, and I wasn't trying to be argumentative if I came off that way. I was just trying to wrap my head around how they work too.

As for you, Pelican. Don't apologize, I didn't see a fight or anything else, so no need. To me, we're still on good terms, unless you think otherwise, you swamp person, lol.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

I'm sorry if it came across that my intention was to 'push' the HCM beads. I'm just an enthusiastic user of the product and my enthusiasm for them bubbled over into this discussion.

Sometimes I have trouble with my ADD but it's getting........oh, look...there's a squirrel!!


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

Come on guys...time for a group hug.


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## fiatster (Jan 8, 2013)

Finally an explanation that makes sense. Thank you Mr. Carivorous.


CarnivorousPelican said:


> Hygroscopy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> oke:
> 
> Let me tell all of you the reality and truth about all this mumbo jumbo... The reality is Spirits live in the beads and they feed these spirits salt and some spirits like different kinds of salts.. So when they feed them some kinds of salts the spirits consume the moisture quicker because they need some water, but when it gets dry the spirits get sick and they vomit up the water.. I pray to the holy spirit of moisture every night I spit vodka on my g/f and beat her with a chicken the relative humidity of my humidor is well protected with these types of practices... So you want the spirits to find a happy place of equalization...  Now all of this isn't commonly known in most circles but I am letting it out about the secret spirits.. If you like you can buy some of my Pelican Spirit Juice for 19.99 which will keep the spirits happy you won't have to beat anyone with a live chicken...


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## fiatster (Jan 8, 2013)

Yeah. This really sucks. It started like the Walking Dead and is ending up like the Hallmark channel.


Gdaddy said:


> Come on guys...time for a group hug.


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## TJB (Dec 10, 2012)

craig61a said:


> I have several analogs and several digitals (xikar, hygroset) all calibrated within the last 2 months. I had several in the bag the other day and they all read the same thing ~ 70%... And as far as the analogs go, I tend to check them every so often and they do come back right to where they should be - 75%. You'll notice in the photo the beads are almost all solid white and still giving off 70%. I don't need to go buy a lab grade hygro to figure out that the beads are obviously not what they are supposed to be rated.


I agree with you. Give them a call and they will send you the correct beads. At least you can see how good they are at holding a particular rh, imagine if you had gotten the right set . Mistakes happen they are just little white beads after all. I have read of similar experiences on these forums. Always resolved in the end. Good luck with everything. Let us know how the vendor took care of you.


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